if perfect's what you're searching for
by chasingafterstarlight
Summary: Then just stay the same. Lily's under the impression that she doesn't measure up. Maybe Teddy Lupin could fix that. TeddyLily, for Drishti's Song of the Day Challenge.


**if perfect's what you're searching for then just stay the same**

_TeddyLily_

you know, you know, you know I'd never ask you to change  
if perfect's what your searching for, then just _stay the same_  
so don't bother asking if you look okay

**Just the Way You Are, Bruno Mars**

When Lily Luna Potter looks in the mirror, she doesn't see beautiful.

There's red hair, sure, but Molly has it too, and Rose. So how is that _special_? Sure, she's got hazel green eyes, but they're not _beautiful pools of deep blue_ like Dominique or _sky blue_ like Victoire's or even _the blue-green colour of the sea_ like Molly's. They're just… boring.

Since her dad was star of the school during his time, she rules the school in her own right. Because her mom was on the Quidditch team during her time, she gets a spot on their team too.

But that doesn't mean she's desirable or anything. She's still just _Lily_, homely old Lily, with freckles, pale skin, red hair, and boring eyes. So how could she ever measure up to any of her cousins?

Sure, her _personality_ is fun and infectious. But because of it, she's still called _cute_ instead of beautiful or even pretty. Cute little Lily Luna, _not _a possibility for a romantic partner. She's just a little girl who's around for entertainment and to make you laugh. How could anyone ever think of her that way? She just didn't find it possible.

So when Scorpius Malfoy asks her out, _of course_ she accepts. He's handsome, sort of kind, and one of the most popular boys in the school. Besides, it's not as if she's going to find anyone better.

Then they become _Scorpius-and-Lily_, the new power couple. They rule the school together, but _no one_ sees their constant fighting. The one thing she hates more than the fights is the betrayed look in James' eyes whenever he sees her with Scorpius. One day, wordlessly, he hands her a letter. On the cover in familiar handwriting is the name _Spring_. Without reading any more, she knows who it's from. Tearing open the letter, she begins to read.

_My bright & beautiful Spring:_

_Your wonderful elder brother, James, has informed me that you're dating one Scorpius Malfoy. _

_One question: what were you thinking? Or rather, were you thinking?_

_The first thing that's wrong with this is that your cousins, Rose and Dominique, are in love with him or something like that. You knew that! Can you imagine how they must be feeling? I mean, you're not in love with him… are you? You've never even mentioned him before._

_Second, he's a Malfoy. You're a Potter. Need I repeat?_

_Is this some ploy for more popularity, Spring? Because really, you don't need it, you're well-known already. Rather, you don't need him. You two are like oil & water- two stubborn people that won't budge. I would know. He's my cousin, if you haven't forgotten. Maybe you did… maybe you've forgotten about me. Remember, the Metamorphagus that was there when you were growing up?_

_Yeah, that's me. _

_Anyway, Victoire, Fred, and Roxanne send their love. Hope that you come to your senses soon._

_Love from Teddy Lupin (if you still remember me)_

Biting her lip, she quickly folds the letter back up, tucking it carefully into her back pocket. Because of course, she hasn't forgotten Teddy Lupin. How could she? But she _did _forget that Teddy and Scorpius- well, they're cousins. It's a strange and foreign concept to her, but true nonetheless.

So _of course_ he knows what Scorpius is like. And of _course_ he knows that she clashes with him.

So, sighing, she sits down to write a response.

_The Big Roaring Tiger Teddy,_

_Of course I haven't forgotten who you are. It's been a while, yes. Tell Victoire, Fred, and Roxanne that I fully return their love, Tiger Teddy._

_Yeah, I'm dating Scorpius, but so what? I mean, it's just a silly high school fling._

_I'm fifteen, Tiger Teddy, I can do what I want_

_Scorpius and I go perfectly together_

_You're just jealous_

_Forget about it, Teddy. Molly, Rose, Albus, Lucy, Lorcan, Lysander, Hugo, and SCORPIUS send their love._

_Love, Lily (Spring) Luna Potter_

Sighing, she folds the letter back up and seals it, then tapping on James' shoulder so he can send it back (_they only own one owl, sadly)_.

The next day, she gets his entirely simple reply.

_Dear the shining Spring,_

_It'll never work out. And excuse me for wanting to laugh in a young girl's face, but just you wait. You'll break up within two weeks._

_All my love, Teddy Tiger Lupin_

Frowning, she tears it into tiny pieces, throws it in the rubbish bin, and tries to pretend that his words won't come true one of these days.

When he finds her next, she's curled up on the table, sobbing her heart out. Grabbing her arm, he asks, "It happened, didn't it? I would gloat and tell you that I told you so, but you look so pitiful that I won't. Come on." He scoops her up off the table with his big, strong arms. "I'm going to take you somewhere, and we're going to talk about this _breakup_ or whatever."

"Where?" Lily asks, wiping her eyes quickly as not to look any uglier than she already thinks she looks.

"The zoo," He replies cheerfully, as if this isn't weird.

"What?" Lily cranes her head to stare at him. "Really, Teddy, you took me there when I was _five_ to cheer me up, but now I'm _fifteen_ and you can't keep treating me like a child-"

"Relax, Spring," Teddy grins down at her. "It'll be fun, just you wait and see."

So she lets him take her, and once they sit down in front of the tiger exhibit at a picnic table, he asks her, "So why did you two break up?"

"He cheated on me with Rose," Lily says, her voice barely a whisper. "You were right. We were always fighting and I suppose one of those days, I just wasn't enough for him anymore."

"What do you mean?" Teddy stares at her with those intense now-brown eyes. "Appearance?"

"Well, of course," Lily rolls her eyes. "Look at Victoire- you do enough of that already- or Dominique. Look at Molly, Lucy, Rose, or even Roxanne. They're all beautiful, pretty, and I'm just plain old sometimes cute Lily."

Slamming down his drink _(and making quite a mess_), Teddy inquires, "What do you mean, plain? Of course you measure up to them! You're beautiful just the way you are, Spring."

Rolling her eyes _again_, Lily answers, "Are you serious? Look at my red hair, it's always curled, and my eyes are just boring. I'm not perfect looking or anything like that."

"Who said you had to look perfect?" Teddy asks, a half smile on his face.

Frowning, Lily stares at him. "Well, you like perfect girls, don't you? Look, you've liked Victoire, and she's the definition of perfect. Come on, Teddy, I know it's true."

"I used to like perfect girls," Teddy sighs. "But then… then, I realised that perfection is just a way of thinking. Who's to say that freckles or blemishes are imperfect? Who sets that standard? Only _you_ can. And, well, Lily, you're kind of perfect. So don't ever say that you aren't."

"Thanks, Teddy," She whispers, staring at him with her eyes.

"And your eyes aren't boring," He says, smiling at her. "Trust me."

Then he puts his arm around her and pulls her close to him. He doesn't kiss her or anything, cause this isn't some cliché fairytale, and besides it would be _illegal._ But there, right next to the tiger exhibit, he pulls her into a big hug.

And maybe she is perfect, at least to him.

**A/N: Well, there it is! TeddyLily's all of a sudden a popular pairing, so I tackled it once again. This was for the Song of the Day Challenge by Drishti, with the song **_**Just the Way You Are**_** and the prompts table, tiger, and curled.**

**Hope you enjoyed, and please review!**

**Sorry it's so terrible :/**


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